By Dayo Johnson

AKURE—AS the traditional burial rites of the late Olowo of Owo, Oba Victor Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi commenced in the ancient town, the Ondo State government  has described his demise as a huge loss.

Olowo of Owo

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, in a statement in Akure, said: “The sunshine state has lost one of its most cerebral royal fathers who combined deep intellectual capacity with admirable traditional flamboyance.

Oba Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi III died at the age of 77.

Vanguard gathered that the trees, within the traditional market, have been cut off as part of the traditional rites for the late monarch.

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Speaking with newsmen, the Personal Assistant to the monarch, High Chief Niran Osuporu said that the monarch died Tuesday night after a brief illness.

Osuporu confirmed that his traditional burial rites had commenced according to the customs and tradition of the ancient town.

He said: “There was no restriction on movement as all processes were peaceful.”

Osuporu said that the Oba’s market had been moved to another location within the town to signal the passage of the monarch.

As a mark of mourning, he said  all the chiefs in the ancient town were forbidden to put on their beads.

Also speaking, a younger brother to the late traditional ruler, Prince Shina Olateru-Olagbegi described the death of the king as shocking.

Ondo govt mourns

Meanwhile, the governor, in a statement by his Information Commissioner, Yemi Olowolabi said: “The late Olowo was a devout Christian whose reign ignited a remarkable revival of Pentecostal evangelism in the legendary palace of Olowo of Owo.